Peaceful coexistence: KGSG delegation, Emergency Management Agency in Bassa to reassure citizens »

Kogi State Government has, as part of its commitment to peaceful coexistence among the citizens, enjoined the people of Bassa Local Government Area to live together in peace and harmony for the progress of the area.

The Deputy Governor, Chief Edward Onoja made the assertion on Thursday when he led other government functionaries and officials of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to some areas affected by communal clashes in the past.

Areas visited by the officials include Sheria, Biroko among others, where the people were beginning to pick up the pieces of their lives for speedy return of normalcy.

Chief Onoja was represented by his Director of Protocol, Hon Jibrin Abu who had earlier in company of the administrator of the Local Government Area, Hon Samuel Zakari Alumka and the member representing the area’s State Constituency at the State House of Assembly, Hon Ranyi Daniel and others paid homage to heads of traditional institutions in the area.

The Deputy Governor stressed that peace was needed for the development of any society, saying that the people had no reason to take up arms against one another as violence was no solution to any disagreement.

He said the present administration under Governor Yahaya Bello has invested so much in the security sector and is not prepared to watch anybody or group of persons endanger the lives of fellow citizens for their personal gains.

The present government, the Deputy Governor maintained, would not leave any stone unturned in its efforts to bring perpetrators of communal clashes to book, saying that going forward, the government has put the security of the people in their own hands through encouragement of Vigilante Groups in a communities in the state and urged them to protect themselves by all means necessary.

In their separate addresses, the administrator, Hon Samuel Zakari Alumka and the member representing the area’s State Constituency, Hon Ranyi Daniel both applauded the efforts of the Governor Yahaya Bello – led administration aimed at bringing peace to the Local Government Area.

They described the Governor as proactive, dedicated and people – focused, and enjoined the people of the area to be law – abiding and vigilant at all times to prevent a reoccurrence of the communal problems in the council.

Highlights of the visit was distribution of relief materials to affected citizens.